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Yasin Malik (born 1963) is a separatist leader who advocates separation of Kashmir from India. He serves as the Chairman of Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front. Malik originally came to prominence as a militant in JKLF and underwent training on arms and ammunition in Pakistan based training camps. He has admitted to have killed a group of unarmed Indian Air Force men while they were waiting for their transportation to arrive in period of 1989-1994 - in his interview with Tim Sebastian. He later surrendered and since 1995, Malik has renounced violence and calls for strictly peaceful methods to come to a settlement on the Kashmir Conflict.

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While Malik is the chairman to one of the Factions of "Jammu Kashmir Liberation", Farooq Siddiqi (Farooq Papa) is the chairman to the other faction. Kashmir followers believe that Yasin Malik's shifting policy of seeking an internal solution with India—after his alleged secret meeting with the Prime Minister of India—led to the separation of its senior leaders, (see Praveen Swami; PMO in secret talks with secessionists).[1] Farooq Papa is considered to be a hard liner ideologically.The organisation, Jammu & Kashmir Liberation Front split[2] After the two senior leaders of the party disagreed with Malik's policy of dealing with the Kashmir issue on a bi-lateral level with India—on the basis that it was done in Nagaland. The Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), founded by Amanullah Khan and Maqbool Bhat, is a Kashmiri nationalist organization founded in Birmingham, UK on May 29, 1977. Within a couple of years branches were established in several cities and towns of the UK; and also in several countries of Europe, USA and Middle East. In 1982, branches were established in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, Pakistan, and later in 1987 in Indian-administered Kashmir (Jammu and Kashmir); which shows it essential foreign origin. Malik started his movement[3] on the basis of the separation of Jammu & Kashmir from secular India to an Islamic Nation of Darul Islam.

Malik spent almost 6 years of his life in jail and in interrogations. Yasin Malik originally came to prominence as a Militant Area Commander under the chief commander of Ishfaq Wani of JKLF[4]—who was killed in an encounter with the Indian army. In 1994, Yasin Malik renounced violence after he was released from jail and henceforth, he and his organization called for a peaceful method for the settlement of the Kashmir Conflict. He supported the return of Kashmiri Hindus back to the valley[5]

On 4 December 2013, JKLF claimed that Malik was thrown out of a hotel in New Delhi with his wife and 18-month-old daughter due to his political Ideology Separatism.[6]

In January 2010, Malik asked Kashmiri Pandit migrants to return to their homes in the Kashmir valley.[7][8]

In October 1999, Malik was arrested by Indian Authorities under the Public Safety Act and was again arrested on March 26, 2002 under the POTA; he was detained for almost a year. In recent times Malik has had one-on-one meetings with President of Pakistan, Prime Minister of Pakistan, Prime Minister of India and other world leaders.[11] In 2007 Yasin Malik and his party launched a campaign known as Safar-i-Azadi (Journey of Freedom).[3] His journeys to meet some select world leaders was to create an atmosphere of anti-Indian sentiment among the public; which had lasted for over one year. During this time Yasin Malik and his colleagues visited about 3,500 towns and villages of Kashmir promoting an anti-Indian rhetoric and stance.[12] Stone pelting and sporadic attacks has since occurred more frequently by the Muslim majority of Kashmir; subsequently security forces have been increased hence forth.[13]

In February 2013,Yasin Malik shared dias with 26/11 attacks mastermind Lashker-e-Taiba chief Hafiz Muhammad Saeed at a protest in Islamabad, [14][15][16] which was condemned by many including Muslim bodies.[17]

Malik had completed his graduation from S.P College Srinagar and also claims that most of his knowledge has been acquired by self-taught methods while he served his time in various jails. Malik loves the poetry of Allama Iqbal and the writings of Imam Gazali.[18][citation needed]